Are the campaigns too long?

In a country where we disagree on seemingly everything these days, Kevin Horrigan of the St. Louis Post Dispatch says there’s one thing just about everyone can agree on: Ending the unending presidential campaign.

Horrigan argues that a law enforcing shorter campaigns, such as the British have, would not simply compress the political calendar, but reduce the huge spending on race, which this year could exceed $1 billion per candidate. The shorter time frame would allow much less advertising, making public financing of campaigns affordable. That in turn would vastly reduce the influence of big-monied special interests and individuals.

One thing I have liked about this year’s campaign are the Republican debates, which are giving us greater insight into both the candidates and the voters who attend these events. We’ve seen some surprising — to some, disturbing — moments, such as the cheering by some at one GOP debate for people without insurance to die, and the booing that greeted a gay soldier. We heard Ron Paul defend his libertarian view on government not helping dying people without insurance (society, he offered, would surely not let it happen), and we heard Rick Santorum explain why he opposes the end of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.

I’m not sure one or two debates in a short campaign would give us as much information. But I see Horrigan’s point.

4 Responses

Campaigne finance reform is fundamental to removing the pernicious influence of money in our electoral process. The need for money to purchase media exposure (mainly TV) forces candidates to sell themeselves to the highest bidder. Any legal and equitable method of limiting the time frame in which these purchases were necessary would help. Of course any such course of action will be fiercly resisted by corporate media interests,for whom political ads are a cash cow.

Who are we kidding? The campaigning NEVER ends. The Republicans have been working on Obama’s ouster since inaugeration (sp?) day. Yeah, sure, a president in his second term doesn’t need to campaign, but he’s pretty much the only one. For Senators and Representatives, it never stops. Everything they do and say, every bill they write and vote on, is based only on what will get them the best poll points and the most campaign donations.

My opinion? This is the root problem, the core issue, that leads to the corruption in our government that we all see and we all hate. Except for the politican, who gets to line his pockets and accumulate his power. For him, it’s a never-ending payday.